Packaging of Food and Beverage

Various types of packaging are used to house our products, whether it is a can of soft drink to a container of left overs from last nights dinner. We put our food and drink into various housing but do you know what they put into that?

ALUMINIUM



Advantages:
Offers a high level of corrosion resistance
Optimal protection properties by offering a impermeable metal barrier to light, ultra violet rays, water vapour, oils and fats oxygen and microorganisms
Hygienic, non toxic, non tainting & retains product flavour
Keeps contents fresh (protections from external influences)
The lightest complete barrier packaging material

Disadvantages:
With acidic food, the acid reacts with the metal to cause an aluminium taste.
Can’t see contents.

POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE



Advantages:
Easily mouldable which allows individual bottle shapes
Stable and lightweight
Inexpensive &versatile
Minimal substance transfers
Recyclability – easily broken into monomers
In terms of biopolymer productions, PET ranks last on environmental impact.

Disadvantages:
Becomes brittle and opaque at increasing crystallisation levels
When extremely crystallised, the bottle turns white
Absorbs flavour components of beverage – the polymers molecules are tangles within each other like a sponge.
Shorter shelf life

GLASS



Advantages:
Chemically inactive (inert)
Impermeable (doesn’t allowed fluid to pass through)
Does not produce odour.
Versatile (shape & colour)
Reusable
Suitable for use in microwave
Excellent clarity

Disadvantages:
Weakness – effects transportation
Expensive
Allows light & ultra violet rays through which effect products.
Higher weight then alternative